There is a tension in the Blessings
and Curses in Leviticus 26 in this sense: they deal essentially with Material
benefits or deficits. But shouldn't
the Torah be primarily concerned with higher, Spritual values? Why doesn't Lev 26 speak of Spiritual
rewards, as later texts talk about the bliss of the World-To-Come?
Some ideas:
We need some level of material
well-being in order to focus on higher Spiritual values. Where
there is no bread, there is no Torah; and where there is no Torah, there is no
bread. [Mechilta]. Without bread, a hungry person can't learn
Torah; he is still on the bottom of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. (And symmetrically, without studying Torah
one will not receive the material benefit of bread.)
Foreshadowing Maslow, Maimonides
says in this regard: When a man is
preoccupied with the matters of this world, dogged by illness, hunger and war,
he cannot busy himself with wisdom nor good deeds, through which we merit
eternal life.
Similarly, if we have material
well-being it is easier for us to do all the mitzvot and thus receive spiritual (and further material) rewards
for doing so.
And further, if we are disobedient and
enjoy less material benefits, it is more difficult for us to do the mitzvot with the consequence that our
spiritual reward will be less. An
important Curse is to have diminished our capacity to do good; and an important
Blessing is to have that capacity increased.
I believe that is the meaning of the
saying: The reward of a mitzvah is
another mitzvah [Avot 4.2, Ben Azzai] - meaning that if you do one, you get
the opportunity to do another. This
also suggests that doing the mitzvah is
its own reward - we shouldn't do them because of the material rewards in Lev
26. We do them to reinforce our good
habits, and derive satisfaction from having served and obeyed God. Post-Biblical works like the Talmud indicate
this; perhaps the Bible was dealing with a more primitive or child-like culture
that needed the material Blessings and Curses to motivate them.
Other faiths like Christianity include
in their Holy Texts the spiritual rewards such as immortality of the soul for
obedience or unshakeable faith.
Judaism's lack of this reward in the Bible discomforted several famous
commentators. Some find this reward
implied in the Torah, although not explicitly stated - their interpretations
seem like a stretch.
By the time of the Talmud, it clear
that the rewards of Lev 26 might be delayed until the World-To-Come and not
received in This World. For example: Reward for performance of a mitzvah is not bestowed in this world. [Kiddushin 39b]
There is also a school of thought that
spiritual enlightenment is only possible when there is material
deprivation. When we are fat and sassy
and successful, we are tempted to enjoy sensual pleasures and have no need to
seriously examine our lives or the world.
It is remarkable that the greatest
Jewish achievements have for the most part occurred when Jews are oppressed and
suffering. The Talmud and most
commentaries and Jewish literature reflect a flourishing of the intellect while
being ruled and oppressed by others, often in the midst of poverty, insecurity
and suffering.
A good question is whether material
benefits are even relevant to Jewish spiritual and intellectual
accomplishments. There may be something
inherent in the intersection of Jews with their holy texts and culture that
creates great achievements without regard to their material status.
Nevertheless, as Rabbi Mae West
said, I've been rich and I've been
poor. Believe me, rich is better.
